The Queen
by MaryandMerlin
Summary: QLFC Season 4 Practice Round. HW forum Charms OWL. Queen Bellatrix and her step daughter Hermione welcome the young prince Draco to their home but as Draco ignores her in favour of Hermione Bellatrix discovers an intense possessive need to be rid of the obstacle to her happiness. SnowWhite!AU, OOC, a little dramione, possessive love.
**Author's Note: Hey everyone! It is that glorious time of year again! It's time for the magic that is the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition! *cheers* I am very excited to be taking part in this again and even more excited that this year I am captain of the Chudley Cannons! Woop! So I set up a practice round and this is my entry for the practice round BUT this is also my exam entry for Charms over on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (Scary).**

 **QLFC Prompt: Snow White**

 **Charms Exam Prompts: Write about possessive love. 1500 word minimum (1630 minus A/N). (emotion) jealousy. (dialogue) "Describe me in one word,"/"Mine."**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you actually recognise!**

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The Queen

The second he walked into the room she straightened. Not that her spine hadn't already been ramrod straight with the perfect posture that her position demanded, but something in the air changed as he entered the room. Perhaps it was the way the lords and ladies that littered the edges of the throne room, dressed as they were in a variety of colour gowns and ridiculous flounces, stopped gossiping and shifted to allow him to pass. Maybe it was something in the air, or perhaps, if she was feeling fanciful, it was simply fate alerting her to his presence.

It wasn't that the Prince was unexpected. As a visiting dignitary, it was entirely expected that he would come and pay his respects to the royal family, what remained of them. Then he appeared and she felt her breath catch.

Prince Draco of the cold, northern lands was the visiting ambassador in place of his ailing father. It was the first time she had seen him in ten years and gone was the small, sickly looking child of her recollection replaced instead by this young, intensely attractive man.

He strode up to the platform that held the royal thrones and extra chairs for the King and his family. She glanced at the empty throne beside her for a second reminded of the late King as she examined the young prince. He exuded all sorts of confidence as he stopped and bowed smartly in his formal clothes. A lock of pale, white hair flopped forward and as he straightened it fell across his grey eyes adding to the attractiveness as he smirked at them.

"Queen Bellatrix," he purred looking at her, "it is such an honour to be in your presence."

Bellatrix remembered to breathe and allowed a smile to curve her lovely face as she called up the genteel air that was required when dealing with men. "Prince Draco," she breathed as if she were a green girl once more and utterly incapable of handling such a large kingdom, men had to feel like they were needed. "I am sure that the honour is all mine," she smiled flirtily, batting her eyelashes before gracefully sweeping her arm to the right where on a slightly smaller chair sat her step-daughter. "May I present my step-daughter, I am sure you remember her from your last visit, the Princess Hermione."

Hermione had managed to tame her hair into something vaguely presentable for court functions but that had always been her only flaw. Her skin was pale, smooth and flawless, her eyes large, brown, beautifully expressive and framed by thick lashes and her lips were plump and rosy red betraying a beautiful smile.

Draco turned towards her and executed another smart bow before ascending the steps of the dais and taking a pale hand in his own and dropping a kiss to her knuckles. A kiss that lasted longer than propriety allowed and Bellatrix did not like the way they locked eyes over her hand. The look betrayed a connection that she could not permit.

Bellatrix felt a stab of jealousy rack through her as she watched the exchange between the younger couple. For the first time she felt something cold bloom within her chest as she regarded her step-daughter giggling prettily for their guest, something that felt a lot like hatred.

X

A week passed and every day Bellatrix called Draco to her; she called him to the throne room, she cornered him at mealtimes, she roped him into every conversation she had and insisted he accompany her on every step she took beyond the palace walls.

Tonight there would be a ball in the honour of the Prince, one at her insistence, and Bellatrix would have the first dance. She had done everything in her power to entice him to her side; such an alliance would strengthen her kingdom beyond reproach.

She danced attendance on him all night, desperate to make the vital connection that would seal him as hers forever. Her perfect, pretty little prince.

But as Bellatrix sat upon her throne, encased in a gown of gold that brought out the rich, dark colour of her hair and made her eyes sparkle, she thought back on the last week and contemplated all the ways in which Hermione thwarted her plans to make the boy hers.

When they had walked around the garden, she had been there, sat by the fountain looking pure and innocent and sweet. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, the little harlot. She had always appeared in the castle when Bellatrix was trying to get Draco alone and she always felt the need to interrupt their conversations with her stupid opinions.

Bellatrix could feel that bubble of hatred rising in her throat as she thought of how shamelessly her step-daughter had been throwing herself at the young prince. More annoyingly, however, was the way her Prince was completely taken in by Hermione's charm.

She watched them now, from her position on the throne as they swung around on the dance floor, a pure radiant smile gracing Hermione's face. Hermione dressed in silver to her gold; a colour Bellatrix had picked for her in an attempt to make Hermione look worse and thus draw all the attention back to herself but it had backfired instead making her shine.

The young couple stumbled back over to the dais giggling annoyingly. The sound grated on Bellatrix's nerves the tinkling little bells becoming tinkling little knives in her ears.

"Describe me in one word," Prince Draco laughed as he escorted her back to her seat causing Hermione to giggle even louder. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at the pair ignoring whatever simpering answer Hermione gave as only one thought rang in her mind.

Mine.

"Oh Price Draco!" she called, demanding the young man's attention. Hermione turned as well, offering her a radiant smile. Insolent little slut.

"Your Majesty?" he inquired finally offering his full attention.

"I wondered if you might do me the honour of escorting me in the next dance my prince. You look so graceful out there on the dancefloor."

The smirk that had previously graced his handsome face faltered slightly but he retained his composure. "The honour would be all mine, Your Majesty, but as the musicians have taken a break for the moment, might I be able to fetch your gracious self some refreshment?"

Bellatrix's first thought was no; she didn't want him any further from her than was necessary but she realised it was a gracious offer, not one she could refuse and so she inclined her head. She was the picture of genteel grace.

Draco bowed and backed away from the dais but not before Hermione had leapt to her feet and scurried after him throwing some sort of excuse over her shoulder. That girl had grown far too impertinent. Something needed doing about her.

X

There were only a few candles left burning in the ballroom; there was a layer of dirt across the room consisting of leftover food, decorations and empty glasses. The ball had been over for a few hours but Bellatrix had not gone to bed. She was still on her throne, still in her beautiful dress and still in her foul mood.

Draco had insulted her beyond the pale. He had returned with the refreshment as promised, but he had not danced with her, he had taken Hermione to dance the dance that he had promised to her.

It was an insult that could not be ignored. She needed to remove the obstacle that was keeping them apart, the harlot stealing his heart, and once this distraction was dealt with Draco would realise that he had been after the wrong woman all along.

She pictured him in her mind, sat in the empty throne next to her and smiled at the pang of longing and possessiveness that coursed through her. He would be hers, and she knew it. There was just the small matter of the princess.

Footsteps heralded the arrival of another. They were swift and confident and soon a young man entered the room. He was older than the princess but by only a few years with a thick head of tawny hair and a serious, handsome face but, compared to the cool, suave arrogance of her prince, this man came up short.

He bowed smartly at the foot of the dais, descending to one knee. "You summoned me, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, Huntsman," Bellatrix murmured, her voice smooth and quiet in the darkness of the night. "I have a special job for you, one of great importance to me."

He looked up, "Your Majesty?"

"I need you to deal with a problem I have Huntsman," she continued coolly. "Something has arisen that is directly stopping my happiness, and I know that you would not allow your Queen to be unhappy, would you Huntsman?"

"Of course not my Queen," he answered quickly. Bowing his head again, "I would do anything to ensure your happiness."

"Good, the young Princess has become loose of morals and has ensnared someone in her grasp that is mine. I need you to take her into the woods and deal with her Huntsman, do you understand me?"

He looked up slowly and Bellatrix took pleasure in the look of uncertainty but resignation that crossed his face.

"I asked you if you understood me, Huntsman," Bellatrix demanded leaning forward in her throne and twisting her face into an impatient scowl. She waited and eventually the man in front of her nodded. She sat back, satisfied.

"Go," she demanded, flicking her fingers dismissively at him. He rose, bowed once more and whirled away.

"Bring me her heart."

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 **Please leave me a review! I'd love to know what you think and if you notice any mistakes because my grammar tends to be AWFUL.**

 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


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